


Battle of Swords

by WeirdyMcWeirderton



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-13
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-21 15:01:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30023556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WeirdyMcWeirderton/pseuds/WeirdyMcWeirderton
Summary: Thorin and Balin watch as Fili and Kili have a sparring match. A question from Balin triggers a flashback and an answer that comes too easy for Thorin.
Kudos: 4





	Battle of Swords

Thorin hears shouts and laughter coming from the camp and he turns away from Balin to see what the commotion is about. Just on the outskirts of camp, Thorin makes out his nephews in a battle of swords. The rest of the company is crowded around them, encouraging them and shouting nonsense to each other. Thorin assumes the company has taken sides and some have probably bet on who would win, Fili or Kili. Balin chuckles and Thorin looks over at him.

“They’d be betting on the winner by now,” Balin says with a smirk and shaking his head, still watching the fight taking place. 

“Yes, they will be,” Thorin agrees, nodding his head once and looking back over at the scene. 

“And you?” Balin asks hesitantly as he warily looks over at his king. 

“And me what?” Thorin asks before looking over at his wary companion with a quirk of his brow. Balin shakes his head and looks back at the two brothers laughing and smiling as they spar.

“Never mind,” he replies, pushing his question back down. Thorin furrows his eyebrows; Balin has always been open with him and yet, now, he is hesitant.

“No, do tell,” Thorin encourages him as he watches Balin carefully, wondering what it is that could make the elder Dwarf wary in his questioning. Balin thinks it over for a moment before speaking  
again.

“Who would you bet on?” Balin asks before glancing over at Thorin before turning his attention back to the group. Thorin hums and looks back at his nephews, a similar scene from years ago running  
through his head.

KILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILI

FLASHBACK:

“Fili! Kili!” Thorin shouts for his nephews as he walks around the house. He hears shouts and laughter emanating from behind the house and he heads in this direction. As he turns the corner,  
Thorin sees Fili and Kili sparring with their swords. Fili had just had his 64th birthday, which made Kili not quite 59. They had been training with their new swords Thorin had given them a few years ago  
and have been getting more fluent with them; Fili more than Kili. 

Thorin watches from where he’s leaning on the house as the boys dance around each other, slicing and stabbing and parrying. Fili blocks Kili’s strike and parries it, coming back to place a well-  
aimed strike to Kili’s stomach. Thorin furrows his eyebrows and stands up straighter, keeping a closer eye on the match. Kili blocks Fili’s strike and brings his sword around to strike Fili in the head. Fili  
blocks the strike easily and the two of them dance around some more. 

Thorin narrows his eyes as he watches Kili swing his sword at his brother and Fili blocks it, moving out of the way. Fili stops short of going completely behind Kili and swings his sword at his brother  
and Kili quickly turns and blocks it, swiftly parrying Fili’s sword and aiming a strike to Fili’s neck. Kili stops just short of actually hitting Fili and grins. Fili returns it with one of his own.

“You won; you’re getting better,” Fili announces as his grin gets bigger. Fili’s eyes dart behind Kili and notices Thorin standing there and he waves. “Uncle.”

Kili turns around and gives Thorin a wide grin and all but bounds over to him A smile appears on Thorin’s face at the excitement radiating off his youngest nephew. Kili stops just short of where  
Thorin is and if it’s at all possible his grin grows. With wide, bright eyes Kili looks up at his Uncle before excited words spill out of his mouth.

“Did you see that? I beat Fili,” Kili says excitedly, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet. Thorin chuckles and glances at Fili who is keeping himself far more reserved than his younger  
brother.

“I did. Well done,” Thorin answers while turning his attention back to his youngest nephew and patting him on the top of his head. “Get inside; your mother has supper ready.”

Kili grins wider and runs off towards the front of the house. Letting out a chuckle, Thorin’s gaze follows the younger Dwarf for a moment before turning his attention to his oldest nephew. Fili  
shakes his head and moves to follow his brother but Thorin’s deep voice stops him in his tracks.

“Fili,” Thorin calls for his eldest nephew as he studies his nephew. Fili turns around and looks at his uncle, his eyebrows furrowed in question. 

“Yes, Thorin?” Fili asks him, studying him and trying to figure out his mood. 

“You could’ve won that match three times before Kili did,” Thorin states as he watches Fili’s reaction. Fili looks down to the ground, thinking he’s being scolded. Thorin continues with a raise of his  
brow. “But instead, you didn’t capitalize on opportunities and slowed your strikes down to give your brother time.”

Fili looks up at his uncle and realizes that he is, in fact, not being scolding so much as being called out for his game. Fili shrugs his shoulders and glances to the front of the house where he can hear  
Kili arguing with their mother about washing his hands before supper. A small smile plays on Fili’s mouth before he sighs and looks back at Thorin.

“He’s younger; I have to let him win,” Fili explains and seeing the look on Thorin’s face he quickly finishes explaining, “I make him work for it; it’s never easy. I just…”

Fili shrugs his shoulders and looks down to the ground. No one was supposed to find out what he was doing, but apparently he didn’t hide it well enough. Thorin smiles slightly as he looks down at  
his heir. The young Dwarf reminded him so much of himself. Thorin grunts and shakes his head before speaking.

“Take care not to let him think he’s too good,” Thorin warns and turns to head towards the house. Fili looks up at Thorin and nods his head, a smile appearing back on his face. He turns and bolts to  
the front of the house, easily surpassing Thorin’s steady gait. 

KILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILIKILIFILI

Thorin glances over at Balin’s awaiting face for a moment. Balin waits patiently, knowing his king is thinking about his decision and the words he chooses to use. The Dwarf king looks back at his  
nephews, watching the match and smirking as he sees the hidden signs he’s looking for. They are the same as he’s seen multiple times before, albeit the skill far surpasses that of the past.

“Not that I would choose one nephew over the other…” Thorin assures, keeping his eyes on his nephews.

“Of course not,” Balin agrees, nodding his head in agreement.

“But I would wager on Kili…” Thorin finally answers, turning to look at the older Dwarf. Balin furrows his eyebrows at his king.

“Thorin, may I ask why? I mean, Kili is talented, certainly. And he’s the best archer I know. But, Fili undoubtedly surpasses his brother’s skill in the sword,” Balin asks softly before glancing over at  
the two brothers for a moment. The older Dwarf turns his attention back on Thorin and waits for his explanation. Thorin grunts in agreement, nodding his head as he watches Kili win the match. He  
nods his head towards the group and Balin turns to look back at the heirs, seeing that Kili has, in fact, won the match.

“Kili is the youngest; Fili the oldest,” Thorin says simply earning an understanding nod from Balin. “That by no means, means that it was easy.”

“Of course not,” Balin says with a shake of his head, sharing a small smile with his king.


End file.
